[PornoDoggy]

would you say that the average american public school graduate is equally as well-educated as you? i've read your posts; i'd say not. what would you say?

History, particularly the history of the two World Wars and the Cold War, has been an interest of mine since I was ten or so. Overall, I would say that the average public school graduate fairs no worse or no better than the average private school graduate when it comes to understanding history. Moreover, I would say that the average college graduate (well trained in the skills of regurgitation and purging of data to absorb some more for repeating the process) generally carries the same prejudices he/she acquired in high school, which reduces "understaning" of history to an ability to throw a few more "factoids" into play in a discussion.

when someone says "Could you please enlighten me as to what some of the signs of the so-called decline that began at the turn of the 20th century were?" i get the impression they don't already know the answer.

It should have been obvious from the question that I don't believe such signs exist. After reading what you replied, I fail to see any evidence of it. You tied together two diametrically opposed positions (that of Roosevelt and that of Wilson), and trotted out what appearts to me to be some basic Isolationist 101 theories, with some Nye Commission disinformation thrown in for good measure.

those ships being sunk were passenger ocean liners filled with military supplies headed to england. if you aren't aware of this i'm thinking your public education failed you here.

Not hardly. Do you think that passenger liners were the only ships sunk? Are you aware of the so-called Zimmermann Letter, a secret telegram promising Mexico that if she would join Germany and encourage Japan to join the Central Powers, Germany would assist Mexico to regain her lost territories in Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico by conquest? The purpose of this was to prevent potential assistance to the allies.

ok, so they are doing the exact same thing, but they're not? i'm sure you're familiar with PNAC and it's plan for using iraq as the forward deployment bases for further military adventures in the middle east. more similarities than differences i'd say.

By tactical situation I was referring to the situation our troops were encountering, not the policies driving their presence in the first place. I do realize there are some who advocate "further military adventures in the middle east"; there is no shortage of stupid people anywhere. The FACTS of the situation are such that this would be VERY difficult to pull off. What the Bushites have done with this fradulent war and poorly-planned occupation will probably make it difficult to respond to any GENUINE threat that really does arise in the Middle East, or anywhere else, for that matter.